Chapter 17 – The Branham Party Goes North

The next meeting was scheduled in Kansas City, Kansas, in the Memorial Hall in the early part of April. Brother U.S. Grant was chairman of the local committee, and had made very excellent preparations for the meeting. We arrived about eight o’clock in the evening, and drove immediately to Brother Grant’s residence. He was glad to see us, but expressed some anxiety concerning Brother Branham, who he said had not yet arrived, though he had received communication that he would be there earlier in the day. Rev. Grant said he knew that he had not arrived as only he had knowledge of the location of the hotel where we were to stay–this being always of necessity a closely guarded secret. (On one occasion when the location of Brother Branham’s hotel became known to the public, a long line of sick formed at his door, seriously disrupting the business of the hotel.)

We ourselves were just a trifle disturbed as we knew that Brother Branham should have arrived by this time. But there was nothing to do but await further word, and we ourselves went to the hotel. We were not a little surprised when we learned from the night clerk that he had arrived and had already retired. When later we asked how it had happened that he had not gone to Brother Grant’s place first, his reply was that he had been very tired and thought that perhaps it best to go to bed early and get as good a rest as possible. But we said, “How did you know to come to this hotel?” “Well,” he said, “I just seemed to know.” That was all the satisfaction we could get, and perhaps all he could give us. We were not too surprised, as time after time we had similar experiences when his perception reached out, and he knew things that did not come to him through the avenues of his five senses. We shall not forget how non-plussed Brother Grant was when we told him what had happened. We do not wish to give the impression, however, that Brother Branham had the ability to use this gift at will, but only at such times as the Spirit of God would specially move upon him for its manifestation.

The first night of the meeting, some 1500 were present at the Memorial Hall. Sunday night was an outstanding service. The third night the Spirit of God was manifest in unusual power. Some reporters were present that night. Their report published in the conservative Kansas City Times, April 13, 1948, appeared the following morning. Although written in “newspaper style” we considered the write-up, on the whole, a fair appraisal of the service. A few paragraphs of the report was as follows:

“Amid ‘amens’ of the congregation, the Rev. William Branham, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, conducted the third of a series of five healing meetings at the Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas.

“Whatever you ask God to do, He will do,’ Mr. Branham said. ‘No matter how near death you are from sickness, He can cure you, even now, if you will just take God at His Word.’

“A score of ailing persons crossed the stage last night and professed to have been cured of various illnesses after Mr. Branham had prayed briefly with them. The audience was moved. There were tears in the eyes of many and their lips moved as in prayer. Some mothers sobbed as they rocked restless babies in their arms. One girl from Mobile, Alabama, said her eyes were crossed when she went on the stage last night, but after Brother Branham had prayed her eyes were normal and clear. Another woman held up her hand and said a goiter had just disappeared from her neck. She said she had had the goiter for years and that a year and a half ago a physician told her only an operation would remove it.”

The next service the auditorium was packed to the doors as was also the last night of the brief campaign.

A number of interesting incidents occurred during the Kansas City campaign. One lady came to the writer and told how she had been ill from a serious affliction, but hadn’t been able to get in the prayer line, because of the great number of people. Nevertheless, her faith rose, and that night in the hotel she awoke her husband and said that she believed if she could only get in the prayer line at once, she would be healed. Her husband, a little startled, finally deciding that she was dreaming, told her to go ahead. However, in the morning, the woman awoke to find herself perfectly well! She remembered her dream, as did her husband. The next evening she hurried forward to inform us of what had taken place. The lady had made a contact of faith, and that was all that was necessary to get her healing.

Doctors often attend the Branham meetings. On the day following the close of the campaign, one of the leading physicians of the Metropolitan area came to the room where we were. He was a Christian gentleman, and we can never forget how he laid his hand upon Brother Branham’s shoulder and invoked a blessing upon him. Before he left he asked prayer for a certain ailment with which he had been afflicted, that medical practice could not cure. Brother Branham gladly prayed for him.

Sedalia, Missouri
Next we went to Sedalia, Missouri, where we held three days of services. Brother Ern Baxter of Vancouver, B.C. joined us at this point and was the afternoon speaker, with Brother F. F. Bosworth speaking in the morning services. Rev. Byrd Campbell, an enterprising pastor was chairman of the local committee, and did a very efficient job. The local armory seating some 1600 where the meetings were held, proved to be entirely too small, and large crowds were unable to enter. People sat everywhere, in the windows, doors, and aisles and many unable to get in at all, stood on the outside looking in.

Elgin, Illinois
The last campaign in the East at this time was held in the famous watch center of Elgin which is located in the suburbs of Chicago. The auditorium seating about 2000 was hopelessly inadequate to accommodate the crowds that came. In fact, after the first day or so the afternoon crowds completely filled the place. We shall permit Rev. Merrill Johnson chairman of the local committee to tell the story of the Elgin campaign:

“This has been my second occasion to attend the Branham meetings. It is my firm conviction that in many ways this meeting excelled my first experience. As someone so aptly put it, ‘Never since the days of the great Chicago fire has Elgin and its surrounding cities been so mightily stirred.’ For days after the meetings came to a close, the subject seemed to be on the lips of everyone. A great realization has also come to the Christians for the need of more men like Brother Branham. Reports, however, do indicate that God is increasing within the ranks of the Church of Jesus Christ in these last days more men with this ministry of healing. The Spirit of God is undoubtedly rapidly preparing the Church for its great exodus to Glory. That must be very soon.

“One cannot attend the Branham meetings without a sense of feeling what it must have been like to be living in the days of the Apostles. Words fail to describe the sudden burst of ecstasy and inexpressible awe that grips the people who for their first time experience the power of God to heal and perform miracles. What words can describe the experience of witnessing blind eyes being opened, deaf ears unstopped, the dumb speaking their first words, the cripples walking, crossed eyes straightened, and many other glorious sights.

“The sweet, unassuming and lovable character of Brother Branham so vividly portrays the spirit of Christ that dominates his life. To see Brother Branham’s great love for children would touch even the hardest of persons. For seldom would a child with crossed eyes, blind, deaf or crippled pass by Brother Branham without his arms embracing them and beseeching God to perform a miracle in their little bodies; and in every instance to my knowledge God granted our brother’s prayer with a miracle.

“The meeting in Elgin seems to have taken on the nature of many great camp meetings rolled into one. The throngs which came from all over the United States and Canada literally rocked this city. It reminded one of reading in the Scriptures of the throngs that pressed about Christ in the days of His earthly ministry.

“Another significant feature of the Branham meetings in Elgin was the congregational singing and special numbers. Faith soared to new heights and the blessings of God descended on the people as they worshipped the Christ in song. Many received their healings in their seats and surrendered their prayer cards without going through the prayer fines. Some of these were in the miraculous. The special singing and music rendered by the students from the Great Lakes Bible Institute at Zion, and other visiting evangelistic parties, deeply enriched the meetings. The cooperation from all who served to make the meetings a success was so characteristic of this great spiritual meeting. All the members of the committee found it pleasant to work with the Branham party. Few meetings of such intensity are conducted so smoothly and with such general approval.”

Tacoma, Washington, April 12-17, 1948
The next scheduled meeting was at Tacoma, Washington. Because of a snowstorm in the Rockies, Brother Branham did not get to Tacoma in time for the first service. Nevertheless, there was a great expectancy, and the following night the crowd was even larger.

A great problem presented itself at the beginning of the meeting. It was early Spring and the ice-arena had no heating facilities. The use of an unheated building for religious services was almost unthinkable in the area that time of the year. The only solution to the problem would be that sufficient people should attend so that the vast arena would be heated by their own body warmth. This, indeed, was what actually happened! Some 6000 people filled the building and the temperature was found to be very comfortable.

One of the notable features of the Tacoma meeting was the fact that the ministers of so many churches had united in a Full Gospel fellowship. It was wonderful and glorious. In some cities there has been a tendency for one church to be suspicious of the other, and there is no real spirit of fellowship. The Tacoma brethren showed by their willingness to work together that all would be blessed in return. The result has been that perhaps in no other city in the United States, has there been a more powerful testimony of the Full Gospel message than in that community.

During the noon luncheon, Brother Branham spoke to the ministers concerning some things that were on his heart. It was a solemn and impressive hour, and not a few tears fell down the faces of those who listened. Incidentally, a remark was overheard between some brethren sitting there at the luncheon, which we felt was typical of the reaction of many who attend the Branham meetings. Said one to the other, “When this meeting is over, and while these wonderful things are fresh in my mind, I want to get away a few days, and be alone with God.”

There is no doubt but that the city became God-conscious in a remarkable way. The Youth-for-Christ leader gave a wonderful testimony of how he had been affected by the meeting. Some high-ranking officers on the police force gave their testimony of how the meeting had blessed them.

Eugene, Oregon, Meeting
From Tacoma the party traveled south to Eugene, where the last campaign of the Branham party was conducted, after which it became necessary for Brother Branham to return to his home for a protracted rest. We take the report of the meeting as it appeared in the July, 1948, issue of THE VOICE OF HEALING: and written by Rev. Arthur Hyland.

“For five days Rev. William Branham conducted a healing campaign in Eugene, Oregon. The first service and the one on Saturday were held in the Lighthouse Temple. The other meetings were held in the armory building. Capacity crowds filled both places. Ministers and churches over a wide area cooperated in the campaign. One of the great features of the meeting was the fact that people of many churches became as one during the days of the campaign.

“Outstanding miracles of healing took place during the five days. Mrs. Gordon Lindsay, wife of the editor, took special notes of people after they were prayed for. One little girl had a short leg. After she was prayed for, Brother Branham had her walk back and forth on the platform and no appearance of a limp could be detected. The mother told Mrs. Lindsay that the leg had been an inch and a half shorter than the other.

“In one of the services, a person with crutches sat at the back of the auditorium. The man had not been able to get into the healing line. While the crowd was going out somebody said to him, ‘Well, you didn’t get your healing.’ The man replied, ‘Yes, I have it now.’ With that he threw away his crutches and began to walk. People shouted and praised God as they saw him healed and delivered.

“Rev. F. F. Bosworth assisted in the Eugene campaign and God’s blessing was mightily upon him as he ministered the Word of faith to the congregation. Rev. Gordon Lindsay was also speaker at the services. It is customary to give a report from one of the local pastors working in the meetings, so the following is an excerpt from a letter received from Rev. Arthur Hyland:

“‘As secretary of the ministers’ group that sponsored the Branham Campaign in Eugene, Oregon, I want to thank God for Brother Branham and the wonderful results brought about by his ministry here. That ministry had done more toward bringing complete harmony, not only among the pastors but with the lay members of the churches of Springfield and Eugene which took part in the great meetings, than anything else ever did.

“‘In this meeting, Brother Branham was so exhausted that anyone could see he was going to the very limit of his strength. Many were healed of all kinds of afflictions and diseases. Two large goiters disappeared right before my eyes, as well as a cancer on a lady’s face. A girl’s leg which had been shorter than the other, was lengthened. One catholic lady who had been an invalid for 10 years was healed of cancer, raised up from her bed, walked out of the building, and has been doing all her work since. Many other healings took place for which we give God all the praise.'”